Thanks for getting back. I remember Gilfedder playing the odd game at centre. But when I was watching Terry O Grady & Bev were the wingers. I never saw him play on the wing ... but the mind plays tricks. He was very popular player. It's interesting that the wing position is not mentioned on Wiki. I never saw Gerry Helme but my dad loved him and Harry Bath.

If that is what Wiki says, I am confident that Wiki is wrong. Believe me Smiffy he played mainly on the left wing for a few seasons although his considerable athleticism was utilised in a number of positions to cover for injuries.

Wiki is often wrong. I remember reading on Wiki that an Aussie player (who we were chasing at the time) was now a "Warrington Player" ... and it never came about. As a youngster (aged 11) I remember being totally gutted when he signed for Wigan. As I am reminiscing I remember me dad would drive to Stockton Heath (from Appleton Thorn) to pick up the Football Pink on a Saturday night ... especially if Wire won.

You ask the people of Newton what they think of St Helens council!

Wow!
Great read.

Not how I read it 9A, I was basing my comments on a team of Warrington born players not necessarily born AND played for the Wire.

I may well be wrong however either way it's a decent thread

You ask the people of St Helens what they think of St Helens Council but it is still St Helens and Newton le Willows is part of it.

Gerry Helme was a great player who had all the skills in attack, defence and organisation. Jack Edwards was also a superb all round half back but Gerry played behind a better pack for most of his career. When Jackie came along many of the great early fifties pack had retired and, within a short time Harry Bath, the baby faced assassin, went back to Australia. Cec Mountford who had enjoyed great success with someone else's team never succeeded in putting together a great pack again although some talented forwards came and went.and this led us into a period of mediocrity that was to last for twenty years.
The same could be said of Bobby Greenough and Parry Gordon. If Murphy hadn't come along with his 70's panzer pack Parry Gordon, as good as he was, could well have finished his career trophy less.
History has repeated itself to a certain extent with Tony Smith most of the players he coached were signed by someone else but I am hard pushed to think of many players signed during his period in charge who are of the standard required at a club that Warrington aspires to be.Several of them were total selling platers on a big wedge
I am a great believer in the old adage that packs win matches. Backs decide by how much. For several years now we have needed a pack leader like Adrian Morley but we get someone like Sims.
Looked the part, talked the part but would be better in Rugby Union where forwards run up to the opposition line, turn round and offload. A complete Mary Ann in my opinion who got himself banned on several occasions for some stupid cheap shots a la Bailey and he was one of the better antipodean signings. Asotasi has got to be the worst signing I can remember in over sixty years of Wire watching.
Of course we have signed some good players like young Curry for instance but, overall, I would say recruitment under TS was not good enough.
There I have got one of my big moans of my chest. Perhaps something for RD to chew on.

Rick Thackray was quite a good Warrington born winger. Played for Wire in his youth, & then later went to the Smellies, after a spell out of rugby league. Returned to Warrington for one season, later.

Easily the best Warringtonian winger that I have seen, is Stuart "The Original Traitor" Wright. He never played for Wire, but was a regular test player for Great Britain.
He had to tolerate "The Original Traitor" jibes off the pitch in Warrington town centre, by die-hard Warrington fans after he signed for Wigan, & later he too played for the Smellies.

Newton le Willows was part of Warrington up to 1974. Then it changed to St Helens / Merseyside https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/districts/st%20helens.html

Newton le Willows was part of Warrington up to 1974. Then it changed to St Helens / Merseyside https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/districts/st%20helens.html

I beg to differ.
It comes under St Helens borough but it is a town in its own right, as is Leigh in Wigan borough.

Yes he lived in Warrington and had Wrights shop facing Poole Park on Winwick Rd Longford.

Spot on BH. I had forgotten about him. All we need now is a pack leader and we might have a half decent team

I can understand the logic of your argument that Newton le Willows is an independent town but following on from your post re Colin Welland, does that mean that someone born in Leigh is eligible to be considered Warrington born because Lynda Lee Potter was a Warrington fan.

Quote ="Builth Wells Wire"Newton le Willows was part of Warrington up to 1974. Then it changed to St Helens / Merseyside https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/districts/st%20helens.html'" Sorry I cannot see in that link that it says Newton was part of Warrington prior to 1974. The Warrington Borough Boundary with Lancashire was on Winwick Road just past the junction with Poplars Estate. Winwick, Burtonwood Hremitage Green, Golborne, Ashton in Makerfield, Newton le Willows and Haydock were governed by Lancashire County Council foe Local Government purposes. As was Leigh until 1974. At least that is what I have always understood but I could be wrong.

Quote ="Builth Wells Wire"Newton le Willows was part of Warrington up to 1974. Then it changed to St Helens / Merseyside https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/districts/st%20helens.html'" Sorry I cannot see in that link that it says Newton was part of Warrington prior to 1974. The Warrington Borough Boundary with Lancashire was on Winwick Road just past the junction with Poplars Estate. Winwick, Burtonwood Hremitage Green, Golborne, Ashton in Makerfield, Newton le Willows and Haydock were governed by Lancashire County Council foe Local Government purposes. As was Leigh until 1974. At least that is what I have always understood but I could be wrong.

Newton has never been part of Warrington & it used to be quite an important place in 17th- 19th centuries. I lived in Hermitage Green in the 70s/80s & Merseyside started just north of the village & Hermitage Green Lane & the stream that runs beside it were the Merseyside /Cheshire boundary. Warrington RDC used to look after outlying districts of Warrington before 1974 .

I agree RD. It's irrelevant which authority governs you, electoral boundaries, the logo on the lorry that empties your bins etc. These change all the time.

If you live within the signs on the road that says "Welcome to Warrington" that counts.

Gerry Lowe was certainly born in Warrington. He played in the pack in both challenge cup finals we got to in the 50's including the famous Odsal replay. Must be worth a mention at prop.

I’m sure John Lowe at scrum half and mark Hilton at prop deserve a mention

Mark Hilton is from Wigan!!!

That's reminds me....TED WHITE!
How I forgotten him!! He played in the 50 cc up win over the Smellies.

He had the cruelest luck braking his leg in the 54 semi and missing out over both the Wembley final and replay at Odsell.
He is one of the few men if any, to have received a 54 winners badge even though he didn't play...I don't think unused subs could get one back then....not sure on that though, if anyone knows??

He's a Wire born and bred and one tough prop

I wonder id Jack Steele remembers the same as me but the Ted. White I remember was a mobile attacking second rower who was injury prone. He may have played prop but I don't remember.
A great player but, as i said, injury prone. Look at his appearances per year.

Remember him but only vaguely as the supporting cast to a young boy's dream of Bevan, Price , Helme, Naughton, Challinor, Bath, Ryan etc.. Unfortunately, to a young boy the pack were the supporting cast and the stars were the ones you watched. Of course they could do no wrong and the referee was a short sighted, colour blind, totally biased, unprincipled, totally corrupt, illegitimate person alive. Funny how times don't change.

Was Austin Heathwood born in Warrington?

I remember Ted White as a second rower too. Anyway he made his Warrington debut in 1952 so couldn't have played in the 1950 cup final. The pack that day was Derbyshire, Fishwick, Fisher, Bath, Lowe, Palin. No substitutes in those days.